Amusement device



Sept. 5, 1961 c. K. RHODES AMUSEMENT DEVICE Filed April 5. 1961 INVENTOR. (A/4.0153 A. 1914/0055 United St te Pa 2,998,673 AMUSEMENT DEVICE Charles K. Rhodes, 1129 Acton Road, Columbus 24, Ohio Filed Apr. 5, 1961, Ser. No. 100,894 4 Claims. (Cl. 46-43) The present inventionrelates to amusement devices generally and in particulm to a device which permits a game piece in the form of a ball to bounce from one platform to another, and then bounce to a receiving cup. 1 It is a matter of common knowledge that moving toys are of the gfeatest interest to children. Not so well known is the therapeutic value of the use of a toy which repeatedly performs a complex movement in the treatment of individuals having mental disorders.

An object of the present invention is to provide an amusement device which repeatedly permits a game piece or marble to travel in a set path of movement which is complex and of extreme interest to a viewer, whether child or adult.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an amusement device which is foolproof in operation, adjustable for different weights of game pieces employed in the device, one which is sturdy in construction, one simple to manufacture and assemble and one which is highly effective in action.

These and other objects of the invention will be apparent from the following description when taken in conjunction with the annexed drawing, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the device of the present invention, seen from the front,

FIGURE 2 is a similar view, seen from the rear, and

FIGURE 3 is a detailed enlarged view, partly in section, as seen on line 3-3 of FIGURE 1.

With detailed reference to the drawing, an upright backing member is supported on feet 12 so as to be vertically supported on a floor or table surface.

The member 10 has a front face 14 (FIGURE 1) and a rear face 16 (FIGURE 2) and a first opening 18 is provided upwardly of one end portion and a second opening 20 is provided, spaced from the other end of the member 10.

A resilient platform in the form of a rubber disk 22 is supported in spaced relation in front of the member 10 directly below the opening 18. A small trough 24 is attached to the member 10 at the opening 18 and has a discharge opening, shown in dotted lines at 26 in FIG- URE 1, over the disk 22.

The disk 22 is supported in a cup 28 and the latter is adjustably supported on the member 10 by appropriate brackets 30 with connecting wing nut and bolt assemblies 32, 34, as shown in FIGURE 3.

A cup assembly or cup 36 is disposed in lateral spaced relation with respect to the platform 22. It is provided with a discharge opening connected in communication with the opening 20 and the upper end of a chute 38 fabricated of parallel wires or rods and supported on the rear face 16 of the member 10.

The lower end of the chute 38 extends through a hole 40 in the member 10 and forms a reservoir on which spent game pieces or marbles 42 may rest after using.

The rear face 16 of the member 10 supports a sloping trackway 44, also fabricated of parallel wires or rods, and having the lower end in communication with the member opening 18.

An actuating member or means 46 is operatively connected to the member 10 for releasing a game piece or marble 42 at the lowermost end of a row of such marbles 42 on the trackway 44 into and through the opening 18 into the trough 24 responsive to the striking force or engagement by another marble 42 traveling down the chute 38.

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The means 46 consistsin a rod 48 slidabl-y supported in brackets or loops 50 on the rear face 16 and having the lower end loosely connected to a stop element 52 swingably supported on a'stub 54 projecting from the rear face 16 of the member 10. a

The upper end of the rod 48 is formed to a loop. (FIGURE 2) which is normally in the path of movement of the lowermost marble 42 on the trackway 44. p

An intermediate platform 58 of rubber, or the like, is supported on the member 10 in the spacebetween the platform 22 and the cup 36 and is identical in construction with the platform 22 and is similarly mounted for adjustable movement on the member 10, by conventional wing nut and bolt assemblies 32, 34.

In use, the marbles 42 are placed in a row in the trackway 44 and a first marble 42 is released to roll through the opening 18 into the trough 24 and then to drop out of the opening 26 onto the rubber platform 22. The latter has been adjusted so as to be substantially horizontal but slanted toward the platform 58 which is in turn slanted slightly toward the cup 36.

The marbles 42 will in turn roll into the trough 24, strike the platform 22, bounce to the platform 58 and land in the cup 36. Each marble 42 in turn will roll out of the cup 36 on the chute 38 and will strike the stop element 52 so that the latter will shift the rod 48 upwardly to release the lowermost marble 42 on the trackway 44.

To operate the amusement device, it is only necessary to shift the marbles 42 from the end portion of the chute 38 in front of the member 10 to the trackway 44 and initiate the movement of the marbles 42 by release of the lowermost one in the row on the trackway 44.

Whereas a preferred embodiment of the present invention has been illustrated, it is to be fully understood that the invention may be practiced with such minor changes and in such shapes and sizes as are found to be practical and within the scope of the annexed claims.

What is claimed is: 1. An amusement device comprising an upright memher having a front face and a rear face, a first substantially horizontally disposed resilient platform disposed forwardly .of and spaced from the front face of said member and supported on said member, a cup provided with a discharge opening in the bottom thereof arranged in lateral spaced relation with respect to said platform and supported on the front face of said member, a track way on the rear face of said member adapted to hold a plurality of game pieces arranged in a row, said trackway sloping toward an opening in said member positioned above said platform, a discharge chute connected in communication with the cup opening, and trip means operatively connected to said member operable upon being struck by a game piece moving on said chute to release the lowermost game piece of said row of game pieces into said opening.

2. The device according to claim 1 together with a second resilient platform interposed in the space between the first named platform and said cup.

3. An amusement device comprising an upright member having a front face and a rear face, a first substantially horizontally disposed resilient platform disposed forwardly of and spaced from the front face of said member and adjustably supported on said member, a cup provided with a discharge opening in the bottom thereof arranged in lateral spaced relation with respect to said platform and supported on the front face of said member, a trackway on the rear face of said member adapted to hold a plurality of game pieces arranged in a row, said trackway sloping toward an opening in said member positioned above said platform, a discharge chute connected in communication with the cup opening, and trip means operatively connected to said member operable upon being struck by a game piece moving on said chute to release the lowermost game piece of said row of game pieces into said opening.

4. An amusement device comprising an upright member having a front face and a rear face, a first substantially horizontally disposed resilient platform disposed forwardly of and spaced from the front face of said member and supported on said member, a cup provided with a discharge opening in the bottom thereof arranged in lateral spaced relation with respect to said platform and supported on the front face of said member, a trackway on the rear face of said member adapted to hold a plurality of game pieces arranged in a row, said trackway sloping toward an opening in said member positioned above said platform, a discharge chute connected in com- 4 munication with the cup opening, and trip means operatively connected to said member operable upon being struck by a game piece moving on said chute to release the lowermost game piece of said row of game pieces into said opening, said means embodying a rod slidably mounted on said member and having each end thereof disposed in the path of movement of a game piece on said chute .and trackway respectively.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS r 

